His surprise visit occurred during One Direction’s recent concert tour to the capital Lima.

Higgins has no relationship with the families of either girl, according to a report in the Irish Independent.

During a ‘charity’ jail visit he also distributed free tickets for the concerts to prisoners’ families.

The report says he talked to the pair about dealing with the pressures of ‘fame.’

They were each jailed for six years and eight months after they attempted to smuggle $3million worth of cocaine out of Peru in their suitcases.

A source close to the band said: “Paul does a lot of work for charity that you just don’t hear about.

“He was in Peru with One Direction and during his downtime he decided that the Christian thing to do would be to visit an Irish person who was in prison.”

The report adds that Higgins was keen to boost McCollum Connolly’s spirits.

The source added: “He felt that seeing a friendly face would give her a lift. He does not know her or the family and he did not tell any of One Direction that he was going.

“He was just trying to do a good deed as he felt that there wouldn’t be many visitors coming from Ireland to see them.

“He is not there to judge them for what they did nor does he condone anything they have done.”

Melissa Reid’s father Billy thanked Higgins for the visit.

He said: “It’s great of him to do that and take time out of his busy schedule to visit them.

“I think it will have helped the girls to hear about how One Direction cope with fame because since everything has happened they’ve been pushed into the spotlight ... but obviously for different reasons.”